Summary
The Landscape Defining a Healthful Diet is Changing
The definition of a healthy diet is changing. Nutrition experts, educators and authors are pushing the conversation about the unintended consequences of long-standing dietary advice and the resulting challenge Americans face in following current dietary guidance. From plant-based and gluten-free diets to the Mediterranean lifestyle and Paleo approach, there’s a wide range of eating patterns being debated by the public health community – and varying amounts of scientific evidence to support these recommended diets.
Background
A new book by Nina Teicholz, The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat and Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet, is the latest contribution to this national dialogue, with a specific emphasis on the association between saturated fat and cardiovascular disease. As the book points out, there have been a growing number of research studies and commentaries by scientists in peer-reviewed journals reevaluating the role of saturated fat in heart disease risk, including concerns about the unintended consequences of a low-fat diet. In fact, a recent review of more than 70 clinical studies indicates that there may not be enough evidence to conclude that a diet rich in polyunsaturated fats (from fish, nuts, seeds and plant-based oils), but low in saturated fats, actually reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Beef Issues Quarterly
